There Is No Place Like Home
by SussiRay
Summary: A collection of 'sequel' oneshots set in the "Coming Back Home" Universe.
1. Little Pitchers

**A/N: If I'm not mistaken this is my 50th story and I thought it would be fun to make it a sequel (sort of) to my biggest story ever – Coming Back Home. It will be a collection of oneshots set in the CBH Universe… The stories won't be in chronological order and I have no idea how many there will be. Feel free to let me know if there's anything in particular that you'd like to see…**

**This is dedicated to hotchityhotchhotch my lovely bestie who was the one to turn me onto this idea in the first place and who gave me a few prompts a while back that I'll be using.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds.**

**There's No Place Like Home**

**Part one – Little Pitchers**

**November 2016**

He hadn't heard the front door opening and closing, too engrossed in the notes he was organizing for the lecture he was supposed to give the next day, but the soft footsteps against the staircase caught his attention and prompted a smile to curve his lips. Saving the document he'd been working on with a few clicks on the keyboard and shutting the computer off, Hotch turned to greet his wife as she walked through the door. "Hi Em," he said as he got up off of the chair to press his lips against hers in a soft kiss.

"Hi, sweetie," Emily mumbled, her lips still lingering on his, as she wrapped her hand around the back of his head to pull him in for one more kiss laced with a little bit more want than the previous one. "How was your day?" she said as they broke apart, silently reminding herself that they were in his study, not their bedroom, and neither Grace nor Jack would be in bed for another couple of hours.

"It was good," he said, snaking an arm around her waist and giving her a squeeze and placing one more peck against her cheek.

"And where are the kiddies? It's pretty quiet here, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Jack's having dinner at Brandon's, he's staying till seven then Brandon's dad will drive him home," Hotch said, keeping his arms around Emily who snuggled closer to his chest, "and Gracie's playing in her room."

"That's nice," Emily said, "Sounds like you've had a pretty relaxing day, Agent Hotchner."

"I wouldn't call it relaxing exactly," Hotch chuckled, "I had some errands to run so Gracie and I went to the mall and all the big, flashy Christmas decorations overstimulated her completely." He sighed. "It is early November for crying out loud. I just don't understand why everyone insists on starting Christmas as soon as Halloween is over. I don't know about anyone else, but I certainly need a few weeks to recuperate. Grace, however, loved it. When she saw the huge teddy bear with the Santa hat in the toy store's window she wouldn't leave, so I – "

"Like the big, soft push-over dad that you are," Emily cut in, smirking at the thought of just how tightly wrapped her husband was around their five year-old's little finger, "took her to the toy store."

"Yes," Hotch sighed, "we went inside, I figured we'd only be in and out in a few minutes but then she caught sight of this bright pink garish plastic mirror that apparently talks and now I've been listening to her chatter on and on about that mirror all afternoon. I think she's told me five times now that she's going to ask Santa to bring her one for Christmas."

"Well, then Dad," Emily smiled, rubbing her hands down Hotch's arms, "I guess you have to get some of the Christmas shopping done early this year then so that Santa can put a pink, talking mirror in Gracie's stocking."

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><p>"Daddy?"<p>

Hotch turned around, surprised at the sound of Grace's voice, and met her big brown eyes peering up at him from just above the purple covers. "Gracie?" he said, walking back to her bed and sitting down on the edge. "You really should be sleeping now, Little." He pushed a lock of dark hair resting on her forehead behind her ear.

"I'm gonna, I just have one little bitty question," Grace said.

"What's that?" Hotch said, knowing that he shouldn't be humoring his daughter though equally aware of the fact that was indeed, as Emily put it, a big, soft push-over.

Grace wiggled a little until she was sitting propped against the headboard and turned to look her father directly in the eyes. Taking a deep breath, her thin voice as serious as it could get, she said; "Do you and Mommy_ really_ know Santa?"

Hotch's lips tilted in a small, crooked smile as he looked into Grace's grave eyes. "Why do you think Mommy and I know Santa?" he asked, forcing his mouth to form a thin line of seriousness.

Again Grace drew a deep breath, crossing her arms across her chest, before answering. "Because," she said, matter-of-factly, "I heard you and Mommy talking before and she said that you had to go shopping for Santa so I could get the pretty pink mirror in my stocking." Her gaze grew even more intense and her eyebrows descended into a scowl as her eyes bored into Hotch. "How come you go shopping for Santa? Do you really know him?"

"Well Gracie," Hotch said, using the voice he used during his lectures at the Academy, "Mommy and I don't know Santa in person. He only ever comes here in the middle of the night when we are all sleeping so no one ever really gets to meet him. Well, except for the elfs, Mrs. Clause and the reindeers of course." He gave her another smile and gently brushed his fingers against her hair. "But you see, Santa, he is a super busy person, the busiest in the world. There are so many children all around the whole wide world that want to get their presents on Christmas morning because they have been really good all year and that takes a lot of time. So sometimes, mommies and daddies, they have to help Santa out so he can get all the presents ready on time. Then one of the elfs comes to pick it up during the night and takes it back to the North Pole so Santa can wrap it in pretty paper and put it with all of the other gifts in the back of his sleigh."

"Really?" Grace said, her eyes growing wide as they sparkled in the faint light from the princess night light.

"Yup," Hotch said, getting up, "But Gracie, only mommies and daddies are supposed to know this, so let's keep this a secret between just you and me, okay?"

"Okay, Daddy!" Grace beamed, sinking back under the covers, and hugging the teddy bear he had given her the first time they met close to her chest.

"Go to sleep now, sweetie," he said softly, smiling down at his little girl. "Goodnight Gracie."

"Night Daddy," Grace mumbled already half-asleep.

**A/N: Thanks so much for reading! Let me know what you thought!**

**Profiler's Choice Awards:**

**Thanks to you I have been nominated for Best Angst (Coming Back Home), Best Het Romance (The Train Ride), Best Hotch/Emily (The Winding Road), Best Characterization of Aaron Hotchner (Coming Back Home) and Best Characterization of Emily Prentiss (Coming Back Home). Final ballot is up at the Chit Chat on Author's Corner now!**


	2. The GreenEyed Monster

**A/N: Inspiration struck and I felt the need to write some Hotch and Grace interaction. So, here's another look into the life of the Hotchner family. I wanted to write something where Grace is a little older so here are Hotch and 15 year old Grace having a little talk. I hope you will all enjoy it!**

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><p><strong>Part two – The Green-Eyed Monster<strong>

**April 2027**

The force with which the front door was slammed shut shook the entire two-story house and prompted Hotch to look up from the notes he had been reading with a frown furrowing his forehead. A loud growling and angry footsteps against the staircase followed as Hotch got out of his seat and tentatively followed the noise.

"Grace?" he called, "Everything okay, sweetie?"

No answer. Just the unmistakable sound of another door being slammed shut. Hotch cringed. He should have known from the moment he saw his daughter – a carbon copy of her beautiful mother – that she hadn't just inherited her mother's looks but also her temper. Treading carefully, taking each step as slowly as possible, he wondered what he was so willingly walking to. Granted Grace was very good natured and rarely seen without a smile on her pretty lips, but the few times that she did get angry no one failed to notice.

Stopping outside Grace's door, he strained his ears and listened carefully for any clue as to what was going on, before he let his fist fall against the smooth wood in a soft knock. "Gracie?" he said, leaning forward, "Is everything okay?" When he for a second time got silence as his answer, he knocked a little harder. "Can I come in?"

"I'm fine, Dad." Grace's voice sounded strangled as it floated through the door and was accompanied by a soft, almost inaudible, sob.

"You don't really sound fine, honey," Hotch said, as he gently pushed the door open. Deciding to go carefully, he leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms over his chest, as his eyes fell on Grace. She was sitting on top of her bed with her legs pulled tightly up against her chest. Her breathing was rapid and her lips rolled into a firm line. All he wanted to do was to rush up to her, wrap his arms around her and hug her until whatever was bothering her had melted away. But, from past experience, he knew that if pushed too hard she might explode, just like her mother. Therefore he walked over to her bed and sat down, leaving a foot of air between them. "Want to tell me what's up?" he said.

"Is Mom home?" Grace said, looking up at him and he could see the storm brewing in her dark eyes. Whatever it was that had happened it was obviously bad.

"No. Sorry sweetie. She called a few hours ago to let me know that she's on her way to Tucson on a case, so it's just us two I'm afraid." Giving his daughter a small smile he reached out and patted her foot. "You know you can tell me anything, right?" he said. "And I promise that I will try to give just as good advice as your Mom does."

Loosening her grip on her legs, Grace let them slide over the edge of the bed and turned toward Hotch apparently at least somewhat reassured by his promise. She took a deep breath that trembled with lingering anger. "It's Kelley Sweeny," she said through gritted teeth.

"Oh. She's on your soccer team, right?" Hotch said and got a curt nod back. "What did she do?" He felt like he was trying to pull a tooth.

Grace's shoulders tensed and her hands clenched around the hem of her t-shirt. "Today after practice," she began, her eyes growing darker and her voice shaking, "she… she bragged about how she's kissed Billy Hodgson! She wouldn't shut up about it!"

"Oh," Hotch said, slightly taken aback. This wasn't his area of expertise. This was something that Emily had been in charge of over the last three years or so. This was her thing. Not that he had been against having these talks with his daughter. They had just decided that it would probably be a little easier for the kids to talk to someone who shared their experiences more closely. So he had talked to Jack and Emily talked to Grace. He felt Grace's eyes on him, prodding him to say something. "Uhm, and this boy he's… you uh, you like him?"

"Yes!" Grace exclaimed, exasperated. "And Kelley knew that and still she went after him. God, I can't believe her!" Getting off the bed with a huff, Grace stalked over to the window and turned her back to Hotch, staring out at the leaves fluttering in the wind.

"Grace," Hotch said, deciding that it was best to stay sitting on the bed, "If this boy is going around kissing other girls then he is not worth your time."

Swirling around, her arms wrapped tightly around her upper body, Grace rolled her eyes liberally at her father. "You don't get it Dad," she sighed, "you and Mom have been together and been in love for forever. You don't know what it's like to like someone and have someone else go after them. It sucks! I hate feeling so jealous. It's like it completely takes me over."

"Well," Hotch said carefully, "I still don't think that this boy is worthy of your affection but I will tell you that I do know what jealousy feels like."

Grace quirked an eyebrow, her interest peaking. "Okay," she said slowly, "go on."

Hotch chuckled at Grace's changed demeanor. "As you know your mother is very beautiful and well she's had a few suitors over the years. I'm sure they all knew that she was happily married but they went after her anyway. Of course I knew that Mom loves me and she would always tell them that as soon as she noticed what they were up to. But that still didn't stop the little green-eyed monster from taking over my mind."

**July 2017**

"Hey!"

Emily turned away from the computer monitor and her lips broke into a wide smile as her eyes met her husband smiling down at her. "Hi," she said, pushing her chair back, "what are you doing here?"

"Well, Gracie is with her grandparents for the day and I thought that you'd might enjoy some company for lunch. But if that's the best greeting you've got for me maybe I should just leave again," Hotch said, giving her a small smile.

"Don't be silly," Emily smiled, standing up and leaning in for a quick, chaste peck on the lips. "You know that I love your company more than anyone else's."

"I know," Hotch said, "just teasing." Looking over her shoulder, glancing up at his old office where Morgan was sitting bent over a case file, he noticed a rather impressive bouquet of roses in a vase on the edge of Emily's desk. "Those are nice," he said, nodding at the flowers, "who're they from?"

"Oh, those," Emily said, a slightly uncomfortable lilt to her tone, "They're from Agent White."

"Who's that?" Hotch said, feeling his insides starting to feel warmer, "Is he new?"

"Yeah," Emily said, "He joined the B team a couple months ago. I think he has a bit of a thing for me." She laughed a little, rolling her eyes.

"A thing?" Hotch said, both eyebrows shooting up. "What kind of a thing?"

"A thing," Emily said, "Don't worry. He's perfectly harmless. He's just a little dense. I've told him repeatedly that I'm happily married and I've pointed out that I'm almost fifteen years older than him but he doesn't seem to be getting the message."

"He's harassing you?" Hotch said, anger starting to fill his every cell.

"No, no, nothing like that," Emily said, pressing her hands against his chest to calm him down. "He's just got a little crush. He'll get over it soon."

"Oh," Hotch said, not convinced one bit. "So, those roses, are they the first flowers he's sent you?"

Emily twisted the strap of her wrist watch, glancing at the large flower arrangement. "They're the third actually. I've told him not to waste his money but he doesn't seem to care. They look expensive so I feel kind of bad throwing them away. Don't read anything into this, Aaron, let's just go to lunch."

Hotch didn't listen. His eyes were trained on the pink roses and his eyebrows rose menacingly as he noticed a small noted tucked between the leaves. "Did you read the note?" he said.

"No, I didn't bother reading it," Emily said, "I know who they're from so I didn't see the need to read it. He'll get the picture eventually. Or his wallet will start getting thin enough for him to stop bothering with it. It's not like I'm ever going to change my mind."

Taking a few steps forward Hotch grabbed the little white piece of paper. Looking down he read it quickly and he felt his face heat with anger. "Where's his office?" he said.

"He's in Morgan's old office. Why?" Emily said, looking at her husband with confusion coloring her eyes.

Not bothering to answer, Hotch quickly made his way up the stairs, the note crumpled in his clenched fist. Storming down the corridor he could feel the surprised glances aimed at him and he could hear Emily's heels clicking against the floor behind him but he kept going. Stopping outside Morgan's old door, now adorned with a plaque reading "SSA David White", he pushed it open and stomped in.

"What the hell?" the startled blond man said, looking at him with big, surprised blue eyes. "Who're you?"

"I'm Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner," Hotch growled, "I'm SSA Emily Prentiss' husband." He could see Agent White's eyes grow wider with what he could feel was fear. Moving quickly he stepped in front of the other man, trapping him between his body and the wall, before he had a chance to move. He held the slightly torn note in front of his face. "So, this is what you want to do to my wife?" he said, his voice dark and low. "Despite the fact that she has so very politely told you that she is happily married."

"Uhhh," Agent White grunted, too afraid to form an actual sentence.

Leaning forward Hotch grabbed the other man by the lapels of his jacked and yanked him out of his seat. "If you ever and I mean ever," he growled, his face so close to Agent White's that his breath bounced against his skin, "leave her anything like this again or even as much as look at her the wrong way, I will destroy you. Understand?"

Agent White nodded frantically as Hotch pushed him back into his chair with a dull thud and left without another word.

**Present day **

"Wow. You really did that, Dad?" Grace said, looking wide-eyed at Hotch.

"I'm not proud of it, but yes I did do that," Hotch said, "I'm definitely not condoning that type of behavior though. I just want you to know that we all get a bit jealous sometimes."

"Oh, I feel so much better now," Grace smiled, breathing out a long sigh.

"You do?" Hotch said, confused by how easily she had changed from angry to almost happy.

"Yeah. I mean all I did was put blue dye in Kelley's shampoo bottle. What you did was so much worse than that!" Skipping over to him with light steps, Grace gave her stunned father a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for the talk, Dad!"

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><p><strong>AN: Thanks for reading! Please leave a review, they are greatly appreciated!**


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